Bishop Nathaniel J. Stampley is on a mission to serve the underserved, minister to those suffering and bring hope to those who feel hopeless and he’s not afraid to venture outside his comfort zone accomplish his purpose.

For more than 20 years, wherever there is a natural disaster or need, Bishop Stampley and his ministry—Least of These—has traveled to South Carolina, Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina hit, Beaumont, Texas, and as far away as Haiti and Africa to help. Oftentimes, when he travels domestically, it’s with semi trucks full of medical supplies, food and clothing.

Bishop Stampley admits that his bank account doesn’t reflect what his ministry has been able to do to help those in need, but this doesn’t stop him because he said that God always provides the means for him to get it done.

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bishop Stampley has lived in Milwaukee since 1980. He is the original and current pastor of the Heritage Family and is an ordained minister of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. A graduate of Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS, Bishop Stampley has earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, GA, a Doctor of Divinity from Trinity Hall College and Seminary in Denver, CO and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wisconsin University of Theology.

In 1993 Bishop Stampley founded Least of These Ministries and serves as the senior bishop of that ministry, which is based on Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus talks about the least of these which includes those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, sick and in prison. He has literally taken on the challenge to help ‘the least of these’ and has traveled as far away Liberia, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to do so. He also visited Oregon State Prison to conduct Bible study and has been teaching Bible study twice a month at Racine Correctional Institution for the past four years.

Locally, Bishop Stampley’s church operates a food pantry and serves hot meals once a week. They run a clothing bank and, for the past 22 years, have held prayer at the church every morning at 6 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Bishop Stampley believes that God calls everyone for a purpose and his purpose is to meet the needs of those who are hurting, suffering and lacking. Moreover, lack of funding has never been an obstacle to him pursuing his mission because God always makes a way for him to do what he has been called to do.

Bishop Stampley and his wife, Carolyn (Reynolds), a retired Milwaukee Public School teacher, have been married since 1972 and they are the parents of six adult children and 10 grandchildren.